Tuesday, May 2, 2017

“Battlecry” by Jordan Mackampa – A Song Review

Political unrest will always be with us. It is sometimes positive and sometimes negatively impactful, with the evaluation depending upon the political viewpoint of the evaluator. But one certainty is that, historically, music lovers have benefitted. Protest songs have lifespans that exceed those of the causes for their protests. Selecting a single example is always an invitation for criticism, but we’ll name the Vietnam-motivated song “What’s Going on” by Marvin Gaye.

2017 is experiencing a surge of politically motived music. Our current favorite is one from Jordan Mackampa, who is from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He now resides in Coventry, UK. “Battlecry” is a combination of a call to arms and a warning that people are rising up. The song isn’t complex, but the rhythm and vocal presentation are highly effective.